There will be no play-by-play caller but plenty of social-media content, fan interaction

In the age of ubiquitous mobile devices and social-media interaction, sports broadcasters have found it increasingly difficult to keep fans engaged during live game telecasts. Rather than fight it, Turner Sports and NBA TV aim to embrace the connected fan with a first-of-its-kind production format, dubbed Fans Only, debuting for the Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers game this Friday.

The Fans Only telecast will incorporate a constant stream of fan-driven content, including social conversation and instant polling, displayed in a multibox L-screen graphic throughout the game. In lieu of traditional play-by-play announcers, Fans Only will feature additional graphics (signaling simple occurrences like “turnover” or “personal foul”) to help narrate the action. Along with significant fan involvement onsite at the STAPLES Center, NBA TV’s studio team will take phone calls from viewers on-air, react to social-media content, and let fan polls determine what is featured next in the telecast.